A Decade of Dedication: Chongqing Primary School Girls Win National Football Championship

Chongqing -  The girls' football team from Sanhezhen Primary School from Southwest China's Chongqing Municipality showcased their dedication and skill, clinching the title at the Second Zhuifeng National League in Xiamen, Fujian Province, on October 29.

Chongqing Clinches National Championship

The Zhuifeng League, a national girls' football league for rural schools, is jointly sponsored by the China Youth Development Foundation and the Ant Foundation. 

This edition of the league saw participation from over 60 rural girls' football teams nationwide, all beneficiaries of the Zhuifeng Project. 

With a mission to champion the cause of rural female athletes, the Zhuifeng Project has extended support to 100 rural school girls' football teams over the past five years. Its overarching aim is to provide these young women with multifaceted development opportunities through football.

After a grueling series of 152 matches spanning three major regions, 12 elite rural school girls' football teams emerged from a diverse group of 10 provincial regions, namely Yunnan, Jiangxi, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Xinjiang, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing, Guangdong, and Inner Mongolia. These standout teams converged in Xiamen, vying for the coveted national championship title.

In Xiamen, capital city of Fujian Province, following two days of intense battles in the group stages and semi-finals, Sanhezhen Primary School of Chongqing and Yuanbao Primary School from Guizhou earned their spots in the finals on the afternoon of the 29th. In a closely contested match, Sanhezhen Primary School emerged victorious with a 2-1 score, clinching the Zhuifeng National League championship trophy.

School Girls' Football Team Won Over 20 Trophies

In 2013, addressing the educational challenges faced by left-behind children, Sanhezhen Primary School in Shizhu County, Chongqing, took the initiative to establish a girls' football team, embarking on a journey to promote school football. By 2015, just two years into their venture, the Sanhezhen Girls' Football Team clinched the Chongqing School Football Championship title. Between 2015 and 2021, the team's dedication bore fruit as they brought home over 20 trophies from various competitions. Recognizing their achievements and contribution to the sport, Sanhezhen Primary School was honored as a National Excellent School for School Football in 2020.

Ma Bolin, General Affairs Director of Sanhezhen Primary School, said, "This marks another national championship for our school since we embarked on our journey to nurture a girls' football team in 2013." Reflecting on the past decade, he added, "Over these ten years, generations of students have come and gone, yet our commitment to fostering the girls' football team remains unwavering."

Principal Dai Dehua of Sanhezhen Primary School emphasized his educational aspirations, noting that fostering rural children into national teams, esteemed middle schools, and even universities remains a pivotal goal in his educational journey. "Football represents an avenue of hope and opportunity for children in our rural villages," he said. "The more children we train, the more children will have the opportunity to reach greater heights, enriched by broader experiences and perspectives."